Sway seat or the like



May I, 1934. M. THUM SWAY SEAT OR THE LIKE Filed April 8, 1952 0 1 3 Q 93 J 3 8 4 10 m 2 26R Z 3 2 PM 2 4 6 6 3 5 a; 7 4 for w a 2 6 2 a 4. T 26 w Z o 1 4 x z a m 4 a 0 1 2) 2 8 4 4 v 8 2 a w m i N 7 8 5 M 5 o 5 1r0 rhfil l 3 O 6 \m 1 7 k 3 3 m 2 v x 4, 4 M /\H Mm O v \Qn 2 5 1 i i fWW 7 3 8/.! m 02 k 9 Mm A: 36 i o 4 0/ t a 2 M w 9 a a w 4% z a & Mw M 66 U Q 4 11v VEN TOR 7770/17 M arfin Patented May 1, 18334 were res 5Claims.

This invention relates to sway chairs or the like.

One object of the invention is to provide a chair, couch or the like,embodying among other characteristics, a supporting frame and a cushionframe flexibly mounted on the supporting frame for a floating movementin all directions, and within certain limits, with a tendency of thecushion frame to normally center itself with re lation to the supportingframe.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of anunderslung chair, couch or the like having its seat portion flexiblyconnected to its base in such a manner as to permit of floating movementof the seat portion in all directions and to prevent undue shocks to theseat portion as it floats into and out of normal position with relationto the supporting frame.

Another object of the invention is to provide a chair, couch or thelike, embodying a supporting frame and a cushion frame overhanging thesupporting frame with the ends of the supporting frame arranged inwardlyof the ends of the cushion frame and flexibly connected to thesupporting frame for floating movement thereof within certain limits andto such an extent as to overcome noises incident to jarring of metalparts of one frame against the other.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a substantial,durable and comparatively inexpensive structure of the nature stated andconstructed in a manner which will permit ready assembling anddisassembling of the parts so that when desired the structure may bereadily taken apart or collapsed so as to economize space when it isdesired to store the device, as for instance, during times of the yearwhen the chair, couch or the like is not in service.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination and arrangement or" parts hereinafterfully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and set forthin the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changesin the form, proportion, and minor details of construction, within thescope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from thespirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the invention illustrating cushioningmeans in part but which cushioning means forms no part of the presentinvention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the invention with all upholstering orseat or back cushioning means removed.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 2, apart of the respective brackets and the respective arm rest being brokenaway.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, thereference character 1 indicates wood or other suitable bars each ofwhich may be provided with the spaced feet 2 upon which may be mounted asuitable metal or other type of supporting frame.

The supporting frame illustrated in the drawing consists of twolongitudinally disposed spaced front and rear angle irons 3 and 4,respectively, which may be bolted or otherwise secured to the aforesaidtransverse bars 1 with their ends projecting slightly beyond said bars 1and connected intermediate their ends by one or more connecting links 5.

End pieces are detachably secured to the opposite ends of thelongitudinal angle irons 3 and 4. These end pieces each consist of apair of uprights 6 of angle iron, detachably bolted at 7 to therespective ends of the longitudinal angle irons 3 and 4, the upper endsof each pair of uprights 6 of the end pieces being connected by a crosspiece 8 of angle iron, which may be riveted or otherwise secured at 10to the upper ends of said uprights 6 and braced by the braces 11,riveted or otherwise secured at their ends to the respective crosspieces 8 and uprights 6, as shown. The fastenings '7 are preferably inthe nature of screw bolts, so that for knock-down purposes thefastenings 7 may be loosened to permit the end pieces to be swung downonto the front and rear bars 3 and 4. To prevent any possibility ofaccidental folding of the end pieces onto the bars 3 and 4, links 12 areprovided at each end of th supporting frame, and these links may beconnected at their ends by screw bolts 13 to the uprights 6 and therespective bars 3 and 4, so that by removing the screw bolts 13 fromoperative connection with the links 12 at either end thereof, the endpieces may be folded down onto the bars 3 and 4 when desired.

The cross piece 8 of each end piece of the supporting frame projectsbeyond the uprights 6, and as shown, these ends are preferably deflectedupwardly, forming front and rear arms 14 and 15, respectively, for eachend piece, and each arm adjacent its outer end is preferably providedwith an eye 16 for a purpose presently explained.

A cushion supporting frame is disposed over the supporting frame in sucha manner as to provide for an underslung mounting of the cushion frame.This cushion frame may be composed of longitudinally disposed front andrear angle irons 17 and 18, respectively, connected at their oppositeends by cross pieces 19 in the form of angle irons. These cross pieces19 of the cushion frame may be riveted, bolted or otherwise secured tothe angle irons 1'7 and 18. As shown, the angle irons 17 and 18 havetheir vertical flanges directed upwardly and their other flangesdirected inwardly horizontally toward each other for the purpose ofreceiving and supporting a spring structure (not shown) against lateraldisplacement, but as the matter of spring mattress or cushions mountedthereon or directly upon the bars 17 and 18 is not the essential part ofthe present invention, it has been deemed unnecessary to illustrate thesame. In any event, the front and rear angle irons 17 and 18 arepreferably connected by downwardly curved or bowed bars 20 forstrengthening purposes and which may have their ends secured to therespective bars by means of rivets or other suitable means 21, the bowedformation of the connecting braces 20 permitting depression of a springmattress or structure or other cushioning means without discomfort to aperson seated upon the chair, couch or the like. Bracing elements 22 atthe corners of the frame formed by the longitudinal angle irons 17-18and the cross pieces 19 may be employed, if desired, and riveted orotherwise secured at their ends to the bars and cross pieces, as shownparticularly in Figure 2.

A pair of suitable brackets are secured to the angle irons 17 and 18 ofthe cushion frame, one pair at each end of the cushion frame and eachpreferably formed alike. As shown, these brackets are each V-shaped information, including leg portions 23, a bight portion 24 and feetportions 25, which latter are riveted or otherwise secured against theunder face of the horizontal portions of the respective front and rearangle irons 17 and 18. The brackets are so positioned on the cushionframe as to straddle the aforesaid arms 14 and 15 of the end pieces ofthe supporting frame with the arms of the end pieces of the supportingframe preferably projecting between the legs 23 of said brackets,substantially centrally thereof and at the upper ends of the same. Achain or other flexible connection 26 has its upper link detachablyhooked into the eye 16 of the respective arms 14 and 15 with its lowerend detachably hooked in an eye 27 located at the bight portion 24 ofthe respective bracket and between the legs 23 of the bracket. Theseflexible connections 26 are all preferably of the same length and theynormally lie in a vertical position between the brackets and parallelwith the legs 23 of the brackets, as shown particularly in Figure 3.

By virtue of these flexible connections 26 between the arms 14-15 andthe said brackets of the cushion frame, the cushion frame has anunderslung mounting and is permitted a universal or floating movement onthe supporting frame, within certain limits, and in such a manner thatthe tendency always is for the cushion frame to assume its centeringrelation with the supporting frame, with or without weight on thesupporting frame. The movement of the supporting frame in variousdirections is limited by the length of the flexible connections whichhave movement out of their vertical positions to an extent substantiallywithin the distance between the diverging legs of the brackets, with theresult that the floating movement of the supporting frame is such thatwhen the cushion frame swings longitudinally of the supporting frame thebraces 28 between the outer legs of each pair of brackets do not contactwith the upright 6 of the end pieces of the supporting frame, therebyobviating unnecessary noises. The brackets referred to provide not onlymeans for mounting the cushion frame but their particular shape servesas a bracing means for the cushion frame structure, as is manifest bythe disclosure of the drawing. In other words, the V shaped bracketsperform the dual function of strengthening the cushion frame and alsoproviding hangers or brackets for the underslung mounting of the cushionframe on the supporting frame.

Arm rests, which may be composed of angle iron or of any other suitablematerial and which may be of any desired form or shape, are mounted onthe ends of the cushion frame. As shown, the arm rests 29 may be rivetedor otherwise secured to the upper ends of the arm rest uprights 30, asat 31, and these uprights 30 may be secured to the respective ends ofthe front and rear angle irons 17 and 18 by means of suitable screwbolts 31, which may be loosened and removed when desired, so as todetach the arm rests from the structure for storage purposes. The rearuprights 30 are provided with seats 32 for the support of any suitableback 26 and this back 26 may be supported against backward movement bymeans of suitable lugs 33 provided with eyes 34 for the reception ofsuitable fastenings (not shown) whereby to secure the upholstered back26 to the arm rests. As shown in Figure 1, cloth or other suitablematerial 35 may be stretched across the cushion frame to provide asupport for an upholstered or other cushion 36, as shown in Figure 1,and if desired, the cushion 36 may be provided with a skirt or apron 37of any suitable character to conceal the structure under the cushionframe. As hereinbefore stated, the cushioning means for the cushionsupport may be of any suitable character and it may be of such nature asto fit down within the front and rear angle irons 17 and 18 of thecushion frame and rest on the horizontal flanges of the angle irons 17and 18 and held against forward or rearward lateral movement off of thecushion frame by the vertical flanges of the angle irons 17 and 18,longitudinal movement of such cushioning structure being prevented bythe inwardly directed flanges of the angle iron uprights 30 of the armrests, as will be well understood.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I provide an underslung seathaving a four point flexible mounting and thereby providing for afloating movement of the cushion frame in all directions, substantiallyhorizontally with relation to the supporting frame. It will also be seenthat by virtue of the two metallic frames, illustrated, one flexiblymounted upon the other in the manner specified, that I provide forsubstantially an even floating movement of the cushion frame and in sucha manner is the mounting arranged that there is always a normal tendencyfor the cushion frame to center itself with relation to the supportingframe, with or without weight on the cushion frame. It will also be seenthat the end pieces of the supporting frame are confined within the endsof the cushion frame, as distinguished from a structure wherein the endpieces of a supporting frame might be located beyond the ends of thecushion frame and its arm rests.

It will also be understood that by virtue of the V shaped hangers orbrackets that there is sufficient space or clearance within the upperportion of the hangers or brackets for the swinging movement of thechains or other like connections when the cushion frame swayslongitudinally and that by reason of the downward converging of the legsof the V shaped hangers or brackets there is sufficient clearancebetween the latter and the supporting cross pieces 1 as will preventcontacting engagement between the cross pieces 1 and the hangers orbrackets during a longitudinal swaying movement of the cushion frameWhile there may be a slight dipping movement of the cushion frame as itsways, it will be understood that the movement is substantiallyhorizontal or substantially in the same horizontal plane at all times.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination in a sway chair or similar furniture construction, asupporting frame having at the upper end portions thereof forwardly andrearwardly transversely extending arms, and spaced from the ends at thelower portions thereof transversely extending supporting bars providingfoot portions that extend forwardly and rearwardly from the mainstructure of the supporting frame, a cushion frame comprisingtransversely spaced longitudinally directed front and rear members, andtransversely extending cross pieces located at the ends of andconnecting the longitudinally directed front and rear members and havingsecured at each end portion of said longitudinally directed members aV-shaped bracket with the legs of each V arranged so that they lie inthe same vertically and longitudinally extending plane, and from theouter ends of each of said arms that extends from the supporting frame adepending flexible connector the lower end of which is connected to thebight portion of the V-shaped member to which the arm and dependingfiexible connector correspond, the outer end of each arm whereat theflexible connector is connected being located midway between the up perends of the legs of the V-shaped bracket and substantially directly overthe bight portion of the V-shaped bracket corresponding to the arm, theseveral flexible connectors being of substantially equal lengths, thelower ends of the V- shaped brackets being located so that they extendbelow the general elevation of the upper surface of the end foot portionof the supporting cross bar, the longitudinal movement of the cushionframe being controlled because of the length of the flexible connectorsand the clearance allowed within the open portion of the V- shapedmembers so that the lower ends of the V-shaped members will not strikethe transverse- 1y extending supporting bars that provide the outwardlyprojecting end foot portions.

2. A supporting base for a sway chair or similar furniture comprisingrelatively closely spaced longitudinal members, transversely extendingbars connected to said members within the ends of the latter andextending beyond the sides thereof, pairs of relatively short uprightsconnected to said longitudinal members at the ends thereof, a transversemember connected to the upper end of each pair of uprights and each ofthe latter members having upwardly inclined arms at the ends thereof,brace connections between the longitudinal members and said uprights,and brace connections between said uprights and the members whichconnect the upper ends of the uprights, the outer ends of the armshaving perforations therein:

3. A device of the character described comprising a supporting meansincluding longitudinally disposed members and transverse membersconnecting the same within the ends of the longitudinally disposedmembers, upstanding end pieces connected to the longitudinally disposedmembers outside of the transversely disposed bars and including upwardlydirected arms, a frame of greater length and width than the length andwidth of said supporting means, substantially V-shaped brackets securedto and depending from the frame, one at each corner of the latter withthe lower portions of the substantially V-shaped brackets being arrangedoutside of said transverse bars which connect the longitudinallydisposed members, a brace connection between the outer legs of thesubstantially V-shaped brackets at each end of the frame, and a flexibleconnection between each arm and the respective bracket, whereby tosupport said frame from the supporting means and to provide for aswaying movement of said frame.

4. A sway seat comprising a supporting frame including upstanding endpieces, each having a pair of arms, a cushion supporting frame disposedabove the supporting frame and of greater length and width than thesupporting frame, pairs of substantially V-shaped brackets secured tothe cushion supporting frame at the ends thereof and depending therefromopposite the respective end pieces of the supporting frame and extendingalmost to the surface on which the supporting frame may be disposed, andmeans for normally centering the cushion supporting frame over the firstmentioned supporting frame including relatively long normallyperpendicularly disposed flexible elements arranged under the cushionsupporting frame and detachably connected, one to each arm of the saidend piece and secured to the minor end of the respective V- shapedbracket, so as to thereby normally center and support the cushion framefrom beneath the cushion frame for swinging movement in a substantiallyhorizontal plane in all directions over the first mentioned supportingframe.

5. A sway seat comprising a supporting frame including longitudinallyextending bars and upstanding end pieces, each end piece having a pairof upwardly extending arms, transverse bars arranged adjacent the endsof said longitudinal bars for the support of the latter and said endpieces, a cushion supporting frame disposed above said supporting frameand being of greater length than the supporting frame, pairs ofsubstantially V-shaped brackets secured to the cushion frame at the endsthereof and depending therefrom opposite the respective end pieces ofthe supporting frame and outwardly beyond said transverse supportingbars, and means for normally centering the cushion supporting frame overthe first mentioned supporting frame including relatively long normallyperpendicularly disposed flexible elements arranged under the cushionsupporting frame and normally in alignment with the respective bracketsand detachably connected, one to each arm of said end piece and to theminor ends of the respective V-shaped brackets so as to thereby normallycenter and support the cushion frame from beneath the cushion frame forswinging movement in a substantially horizontal plane in all directionsover the first mentioned supporting frame with the minor ends of saidbrackets in such movements avoiding contact with said transversesupporting bars which are inwardly set with relation to said V-shapedbrackets.

MARTIN THUM.

